She was a whirl
When you first saw her
Her soul
A canvas of
Vibrant colour
Hope shining gold
Her smile glowing
Like the light
Of a thousand sunbeams
Hidden ‘neath her skin
But blended in
All of that
Was the blue
Of reserve
Of old pain, fading
Dissipating, melting
Into healing scars
She took your
Breath away
You, with your
Soul in shades
Of gunmetal grey
And the red-brown
Of rust
And dried blood
You touched her
And suddenly
Your soul was alight
Greys blending
Into yellows and orange
Of sudden, unfamiliar bliss
And the bright gold
Of budding hope
The blushing pink
Of love, blooming
With the heat
On her cheeks
Her love was red
Ripe, rich
With veins of gold
Little streams of hope
Slipping through
That this time
Things would not
End the same way
Yours was blent
With your greys
Of disillusionment
The lilac of distance
Of reserve
And the brown
Of walls standing strong
Around a beating,
Battered heart
But you painted
Over the lavender
Of your love
With the brush
Of indifference
Obliterating, hiding
Deepening pinks
With the harsh brown
Of growing reserve
Making the colours
On her canvas shift
Blue bleeding
Through the hues
Of bliss
Paint in one soul
Colouring another
It’s in the rainbows
On her pillowcase
And the kaleidoscope
On her best friend’s
Damp shoulder
Painting landscapes
With the ache
And heartbreak
Churning within
And the colours
Begin to chip away
Masks hiding
Marks of the past
Slipping away
To allow the present
To leave its scars
The sapphire of sorrow
Cutting rubies
Out of her soul
Leaving rivulets
Of the pearl-grey
Of realisation and
The scarlet
Of bleeding regret
Now her canvas
Shines no more
Vibrant colour fading
Into duller hues
Gold fading
Silver rusting with
Salt water
Ink blotting out
The starlight
In her eyes
Colours painted over
With the dull white
Of apathy
Waiting for time
To paint
A new masterpiece
On her canvas.
-Gautami